Cane-mill.



No. 639,436. Patented Dec. I9, [899.

R. R. ROBERTS.

CANE MILL.

(Application filed Mar. 13, 1899.)

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CANE-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,436, dated December 19, 1899.

' Application filed March 13,1899. Serial No, 708,885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have in- Vented certain new and useful Improvements in Cane-Mills, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to cane-mills, and is particularly adapted for the extraction of saccharine juices from sugar and similar canes.

The invention has for its object to provide a series of rolls in feeding relation to each other and so arranged that the first pair thereof will slit the cane, after which the second pair of rolls compresses or breaks the cells transversely of the cane, and the final rolls are adapted to completely compress and crush the cells within the cane, and thus extract the juice therefrom.

The invention has for a further object to provide improved feeding means for introducing the cane in proper alinementwith the slitting devices or rolls and also improved scrapers and deflecting devices for preventing the adherence of the cane to the surfaces of the rolls.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the invention. Fig, 2 is a plan thereof with parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail of the spring tension for the rolls, and Fig. l is a detail perspective of the guiding-plate for introducing the cane.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawlngs.

The letter A designates a framework,which may be of any desired dimensions or configuration and is usually composed of opposite members secured together in an ordinary manner-for instance, by tie-bolts A. This frame is also provided with vertically-extending standards A within which bearings for the several rollers of the mill may be pro- Vided, and these standards are connected together by a longitudinal web A as shown in Fig. 1. This particular construction of supporting-frame, however, is immaterial and may be changed at will.

lVithin the frame three setsor pairs of rolls are supported in feeding relation to each other-that is, the slitting-rolls B, the breaking or compressing rolls 0, and the crushingrolls D. Each of the slitting-rolls is provided with a series of peripheral parallel cutting edges or knives B, the knives upon one roll being located between two adjacent knives upon the opposite roll, so as to travel in the way or groove formed by the adjacent knives. The breaking or compressing rolls 0 are each provided with a series of longitudinal ribs 0, which ribs intermesh with each other, as shown in Fig. 1, while the crushingrolls D are provided with plane peripheries adapted to completely crush the cane, and thus extract the juice therefrom, leaving. the bagasse or fiber in a dry condition. The upper roll of each set is mounted in a guide A",

formed in the standards A and above the bearing-block A of the roll a tension spring A is interposed, While Within this spring a rubber or elastic block A' is located and adapted to limit the extent of compression imparted to the spring. The tension of the roll may be governed and adjusted by means of a suitable set-screw A bearing upon a pressure-plate A", located above and upon both the spring A and elastic block A This construction permits one of the rollers to yield when for any reason a hard substance, such as a stone or other matter not intended to be introduced into the machine, comes into contact with the rolls. This yielding of the roll prevents injury to the surface or periphery thereof, which would otherwise occur, and the tension of the roll in relation to its opposite member can be regulated to any extent desired.

Beneath the rolls a receiving-trough E is located and adapted to retain the juice eX- tracted from the cane, which may be withdrawn. therefrom through a suitable spout E,

while the cane is led to the mill upon any desired form of carrier-for instance, a belt E traveling over rollers E The bagasse may be removed from the mill bya similar belt or conveyor E, if desired, which is carried upon suitable rollers E mounted in the frame of the machine, and is provided with the scraper and guiding and deflecting the cane after its.

or doctor blade E, supported in any desired manner-for instance, by a connection E to the trough E. Between the series of rolls gratings F are secured or retained by means of flanges or brackets F, carried by the opposite walls of the frame and upon which the grates rest and are held by gravity. The edges of these grates adjacent to the rolls may be beveled, if desired, as shown at F, in order to fit more closely the curvature of the roll, and thus receive from the roll the cane. It has been found very desirable to use in connection with the rollers, particularly the slitting-rolls, scrapers to remove from the rolls the adhering cane. In Fig. 1 a scraping and deflecting blade G has been illustrated, which is provided with a series of teeth G, adapted to fit or intermesh between the knives B of the upper roll B, and said scraper is pivotally mounted at G so as to be adjusted to and from the roll. The scraper can be secured in its adjusted posit-ion by means of a slot G in the frame A and a suitable clamping nut or bolt G. It will be observed that any cane removed from the upper roll D will come into contact with the deflecting-face G and be thus directed downward upon the grating F and in position for introduction into the next pair of rolls. The lower roll B is provided with an adjustable scraper H, provided with a toothed blade H and adapted to be adjusted in slots H formed in a part of the frame. This scraper is mounted and slides upon the grate F, so that any cane removed from the roll rides over the scraper-blade.

For the purpose of preventing adhesion of passage between the breaking or compressing rolls, a feed-roller I is provided and mounted somewhat closely to the upper breaking-rolls upon a shaft 1, the bearings of which are under spring tension, as shown by dotted lines at I in Fig. 1, soas to hold this roll in com tact with the grate adjacent to the deliveryface of the breaking-rolls. The face of the roll I is provided with an elastic covering 1 of rubber or other suitable material, and the tension of the spring l may be adjusted,when desired, by means of a suitable set-screw I, mounted in the frame A of the mill. This roll is driven by a suitable connectionfor instance, a sprocket-chain 1 extending from a suitable sprocket I upon the shaft of the rolls D to a corresponding sprocket 1 upon the shaft 1 of the roller I. It will be obvious that the diameter of these sprockets may be varied to regulate the speed of rotation imparted to the roller I (which must be equal to or greater than that of the rolls 0) and the consequent feed of material effected by said roll. terial or cane to the slitting-rolls, a guideplate J is secured to the frame and provided with a series of flanges 1, between adjacent ones of which the cane passes and is thus brought into proper position to be longitudinally slitted and can always be presented in In order to properly feed the ma-' substantially the plane of the cutters or knives B upon said slitting-rolls. Above the guide-plate J a guard or shield J is provided, which prevents the entrance of more than one layer of cane between the rolls B. The cane frequently becomes piled up or superposed one above another and would in this condition feed irregularly to the rolls. The guard -plate J prevents this, and in connection therewith there is a pivotallymounted plate K for pushing back the cane which may collect in front of the same, so that the cane may be fed under the guardplate when an opportunity presents. This pusher-plate K may be operated in any desired manner, either by the handle K or automatically by means of a cam K acting upon the end of a rod K which rod is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a spring K one end of which is connected to the rod K and forms an abutment in the compression of said spring. The

rotation of the cam K will intermittently.

actuate the pusher-plate K to remove such cane as may collect in front of said plate, and thus automatically regulate the feed of the mill without the constant attention of an operator to regulate the feed of the cane upon the carrier E The several rolls of the series may be driven by any desired gearing, an instance of which is here shown, comprising fin ger-gears L upon each roll of the several pairs intermeshing with each other, so as to permit the separa tion of the rolls to a limited extent without effecting the driving thereof. The main driving power may be applied to a band-wheel L upon the lower roll B, and the power from the rolls B to the rolls C is transmitted through an intermediate finger-gearU, pivotally journaled in a slot L for the purpose of adjust ment. Power is transmitted from the rolls 0 to the final crushing-rolls D by means of a finger-gear L, meshing with the gears carried upon the shafts of the lower rolls 0 and D. Provision is also niade to replace the gear L with a gear of different size when it is desired to drive either the rolls 0 or D at a different speed than originally geared for instance, to quicken the speed of the rolls D, and thus produce a drawing action upon the cane in its passage between the rolls 0. For this purpose a journaling-slot L is provided, so that the pivotal center of the meshing gear may be changed to correspond with a different gear carried upon the shaft D of the lower roll D. I haveindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 the location of a smaller gear upon the shaft D of the lower roll D and the introduction of a larger gear-that is, with a greater number of teethin place of the gear L as shown. As heretofore described, the power for the feeding roll I is transmitted from the upper shaft D of the set. Furthermore, it will be observed that these several rolls are set on a declining angle of about thirty degrees; but this angle may be adjusted to any degree desired or found necessary in the character of work to be performed. The angle at which the rolls are set facilitates the feed, although in most instances the rolls are located so closely adjacent that the cane is received by one roll before it completely leaves the roll which has previously acted thereon. The distances between the rolls, however, may be varied as found desirable in different classes of work.

The general operation of the mill will be apparent from the foregoing description, and attention need only be particularly called to the operation of the series of rolls which first longitudinally slit the cane, thus exposing the cells constituting the interior tissue,which cells are next broken transversely by means of the corrugated rolls C, so that upon leaving said rolls the cellular structure is com pletely broken, so as to permit the free escape of the sap or juice from the canes before or during their passage between the crushingrolls D. This compression is accomplished in a substantially automatic manner by reason of the several devices heretofore. described, and the mill can consequently be op-. erated by less attendants, as the rolls are so located in feeding relation that after the introduction of the cane the expressing of the juice is entirely accomplished without the attention of an employee. The several auxiliary devices described also materially assist in securing the particular efficiency and economy etfected by the structure presented.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction and configuration of the several parts Without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a cane-mill, the combination of three pairs of rolls arranged in feeding relation with each other, the first pair provided with circumferential slitting means, the second pair provided with longitudinal compressing ribs and grooves, and the third pair having plane peripheries, whereby the material is slitted longitudinally, bent 6r crushed transversely and finally uniformly compressed in regular succession; substantially as specified.

2. In a cane-mill, the combination of three pairs of rolls arranged in feeding relation with each other and in successively-depressed horizontal planes, the first pair provided with circumferential slitting means, the second pair provided with longitudinal compressing ribs and grooves, and the third pair having plane peripheries, whereby the material is slitted longitudinally, bent or crushed transversely and finally uniformly compressed in regular succession; substantially as specified.

3. In a cane-mill, the combination with a pair of slitting-rolls, a pair of breaking and compressing rolls, and a pair of crushing-rolls, one member of each of which is yieldingly allel partition-plates adapted to form channels or ways in alinement With the peripheral slitting devices, carried upon said rolls, and a guard-plate to prevent the introduction of a superposed layer of cane; substantially as specified.

6. In a cane-mill, the combination With slitting-rolls, of a guide-plate provided with projections adapted to introduce the cane in alinement with the slitting devices carried upon said rolls, and a pusher-plate adapted to be moved and remove accumulated cane from the vicinity of the guide-plate; substantially as specified.

'7. In a cane-mill, the combination with a pair of rolls, of a pusher-plate located at the feeding side of said rolls,and a device rotatable with said rolls for intermittently actuatin g said pusher-plate to remove cane in contact therewith; substantially as specified.

8. In a cane-mill, the combination with a pair of rolls, of a pusher-plate located .at the feeding side of said rolls, a cam carried by the shaft of one of said rolls, and a springactuated rod connected to said pusher-plate against which rod said cam is adapted to operate; substantially as specified.

9. In a cane-mill, the combination with slitting-rolls having channels upon their surfaces, of a pivoted toothed scraper having a deflecting-face projecting upwardlyand then downwardly at an angle to the scraper-blade, and means for adjusting the scraper in its relation to the rolls; substantially as specified.

10. In a cane-mill, the combination with a pair of longitudinally-corrugated rolls, of a clearing and feeding roll arranged closely to and at the delivery side of the upper member of said corrugated rolls for preventing the adhesion of cane thereto, a base-plate upon which said roll bears, a spring for holding said roll in yielding contact with said plate and means for driving said clearing-roll in an opposite direction to that of said upper roll; substantially as specified.

11. In a cane-mill, the combination with a pair of slitting-rolls, a pair of breaking-rolls and a pair of crushing-rolls, of a toothed scraper operating in the channels of one of said slitting-rolls, and means for holding and adjusting said scraper relativelyto said roll; substantially as specified.

12. In a cane-mill, the combination with a pair of slitting-rolls, a pair of breaking-rolls and a pair of crushing-rolls, of a spring-held clearing and feeding roll held adjacent to said breaking rolls and provided with an elastic periphery, means for adjusting the tension of the spring-support for said roll, and means for driving the same; substantially as specified.

13. In a cane-mill, the combination with a frame carrying a pair of slitting-rolls, a pair of breaking-rolls and a pair of crushing-rolls in feeding relation with each other, of brackets carried by said frame between said rolls, removable grating plates located on said brackets and between said rolls, and a delivery-trough beneath said series of rolls; substantially as specified.

14. In a cane-mill, the combination with a pair of slitting-rolls, a pair of breaking-rolls and a pair of crushing-rolls, each provided with driving-gears, of an intermeshing gear and a spindle therefor removably and adjustably supported in a slotted frame to transmit power from one pair of said rolls to another; substantially as specified.

15. In a cane-mill, the combination with a pair of slitting-rolls, a pair of breaking-rolls, and a pair of crushingrolls, of a bearingblock for one of each pair of said rolls, a spring interposed between said bearing-block and a fixed support, an elastic block within said spring, and a tension-screw adapted to bear upon said spring and elastic block; substantially as specified.

16. In a cane-mill, the combination of a pair of slitting-rolls, a pair of breaking-rolls, and a pair of crushing-rolls located in feeding relation and in descending horizontal planes, a guide-plate located at the feeding side of said slitting-rolls, scrapers operating at the'delivery side of said slitting-rolls, a feed-roll located at the delivery side of said breakingrolls, gratings between said several rolls, and means for driving said rolls simultaneously; substantially as specified.

17. In a cane-mill, the combination ofa pair of slitting-rolls, a pair of breaking-rolls, and a pair of crushing-rolls located in feeding relation and in descending horizontal planes, a guide-plate located at the feeding side of said slitting-rolls, scrapers operating at the delivery side of said slitting-rolls, a feed-roll located at the delivery side of said breakingrolls, gratings between said several rolls, means for driving said rolls simultaneously, a guard-plate above said guide-plate, a pusherplate automatically operated in the rotation of said rolls, and yielding bearings for the upper roll of each pair of said series; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT R. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

ALFRED T. GAGE, WM. D. SHOEMAKER. 

